Cyber defence has become more critical than ever, which has seen the role of the CISO evolving.
No longer is the CISO simply an individual with good tech skills and an understanding of defensive tools and solutions, but someone with regular access to the board who is known for their advocacy of cyber security, strong leadership and a knowledge of how security can be a business enabler.
“The role of the CISO has skyrocketed in prominence far more rapidly than many pundits had predicted,” says Phillimon Zongo, CEO of the Cyber Leadership Institute in Australia, who will be presenting an international keynote address on at the ITWeb Security Summit 2022, to be held from 31 May to 2 June at the Sandton Convention Centre.
He says this is underpinned by relentless cyber incursions, tightening regulatory screws, and increased personal liability on corporate directors. “But as these changes unfold, most cyber leaders are finding themselves woefully unprepared.”
Zongo says many new CISOs learn the hard way, that success in the c-suite is less to do with technical proficiency, and more to do with the ability to navigate complex and deeply entrenched political systems, influence power brokers, lead with courage, and communicate to the board with clarity and persuasion.
During his presentation titled How leading CISOs are wielding persuasion and influencing skills to accelerate cyber transformation”, Zongo will share practical strategies global cyber leaders are using to navigate complex and entrenched corporate political systems to get things done.
Zongo is the CEO of the Cyber Leadership Institute (CLI), a global enterprise that has equipped cyber leaders from more than 45 countries with critical skills to accelerate change, influence decision makers and deliver impactful presentations to boards.
He is also the author of two best-selling books. The first, “The Gift of Obstacles”, has been described as a poignant, hilarious, and impeccably written memoir that spans Savannah grasslands, Harare ghettos, Australia and beyond, that has inspired professionals across the globe to dismantle self-imposed mental limitations.
Zongo’s next book, “The Five Anchors of Cyber Resilience”, is a contemporary executive strategy guide judged as one of the top five cyber books across the UK in 2021, that has received recognition from journalists as well as global associations. His perspectives have been published across several respected global magazines.
Two years ago, Zongo was named one of the Global Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD - New York), and has won multiple industry awards for global exemplary leadership in cyber security.
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